Protection and Stabilization Assembly

ABSTRACT

A protection and stabilization assembly for handheld electronic devices includes a shell that defines an interior space, which is substantially complementary to a handheld electronic device. The shell has a front, back, bottom and opposing sides. The front is substantially open and is configured such that the handheld electronic device is insertable into the interior space. Each opposing end of a strap is coupled to the shell proximate to a respective opposing side. The strap is resilient and overlays a portion of the back proximate to the bottom. The improvement is the strap positioned on the shell. The strap is configured to insert two or more fingers of a hand of a user between the strap and the shell. The handheld electronic device is stabilized in the hand of the user with a thumb of the hand free to manipulate controls on a front face of the handheld electronic device.

(b) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

(d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

(e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIE THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM.

Not Applicable

(f) STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

(g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to protection and stabilization assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new protection and stabilization assembly for handheld electronic devices.

(h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a shell that defines an interior space, which is substantially complementary to a handheld electronic device. The shell has a front, back, bottom and opposing sides. The front is substantially open and is configured such that the handheld electronic device is insertable into the interior space. Each opposing end of a strap is coupled to the shell proximate to a respective opposing side. The strap is resilient and overlays a portion of the back proximate to the bottom. The improvement is the strap positioned on the shell. The strap is configured to insert two or more fingers of a hand of a user between the strap and the shell. The handheld electronic device is stabilized in the hand of the user with a thumb of the hand free to manipulate controls on a front face of the handheld electronic device.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

(i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of a protection and stabilization assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an isometric perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is an isometric perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 7 thereof, a new protection and stabilization assembly embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7, the protection and stabilization assembly 10 generally comprises a shell 12 that defines an interior space 14, which is substantially complementary to a handheld electronic device. The shell 12 has a front 16, a back 18, a bottom 20 and opposing sides 22. The front 16 is substantially open and is configured such that the handheld electronic device is insertable into the interior space 14.

Each opposing end 24 of a strap 26 is coupled to the shell 12 proximate to a respective opposing side 22. The strap 26 is resilient and overlays a portion 28 of the back 18 proximate to the bottom 20. The strap 26 comprises elastic.

In one embodiment, the strap 26 measures from four to twelve centimeters between the opposing ends 24 and from three to eight centimeters between opposing edges 30 of the strap 26. In another embodiment, the strap 26 measures from five to eight centimeters between the opposing ends 24 and from four to six centimeters between the opposing edges 30. In yet another embodiment, the strap 26 measures 6.35 centimeters between the opposing ends 24 and 5.08 centimeters between the opposing edges 30.

In one embodiment of the invention, each opposing end 24 of the strap 26 comprises a lock tube 32 and pair of slots 34 is positioned in the back 18 of the shell 12. The lock tube 32 is substantially circularly shaped when viewed longitudinally. Each slot 34 is positioned proximate to a respective opposing side 22 of the shell 12 and is configured to couple to a respective lock tube 32. Each slot 34 is positioned in the back 18 such that the slot 34 is positioned to insert a respective opposing end 24 of the strap 26 to couple the strap 26 to the shell 12.

Each slot 34 comprises a first section 36, a second section 38 and a channel 40. The first section 36 extends perpendicularly into the back 18. The second section 38 extends from the first section 36 toward the respective opposing side 22 of the shell 12 and defines a corner 42 of the slot. The channel 40 extends from the second section 38 distal from the corner 42. The channel 40 is complementary to the lock tube 32. Each slot 34 is positioned in the back 18 and is configured to insert a respective opposing end 24 of the strap 26. The channel 40 is positioned to couple to the lock tube 32 to couple the strap 26 to the shell 12.

In another embodiment of the invention, a pair of fasteners 44 is coupled singly to each opposing end 24 of the strap 26. The fasteners 44 are positioned on the strap 26 such that each fastener 44 is positioned to couple to the respective opposing side 22 of the shell 12 to couple the strap 26 to the shell 12. Each fastener 44 comprises a strip 46 that is coupled to and extends from a respective opposing end 24. The strip 46 extends between the opposing edges 30 of the strap 26. The strip 46 has a first face 48 that comprises adhesive. Each of a pair of covers 50 is reversibly couplable to the first face 48 of the strip 46. The covers 50 are positioned on the first faces 48 of the strips 46 to prevent premature adhesion of the first face 48.

In use, the covers 50 are configured to be removed by the user such that the first faces 48 of the strips 46 are configured to couple adhesively to the opposing sides 22 of the shell 12 to couple the strap 26 to the shell 12. The strap 26 is configured to insert two or more fingers of the hand of the user between the strap 26 and the shell 12. The handheld electronic device is stabilized in the hand of the user with the thumb of the hand free to manipulate controls on the front face of the handheld electronic device.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

1. A protection and stabilization assembly comprising: a shell defining an interior space complementary to a handheld electronic device, said shell having a front, said front being open, wherein said front is configured such that the handheld electronic device is insertable into said interior space; a strap having opposing ends, said strap being resilient, each said opposing end of said strap being coupled to said shell proximate to a respective opposing elongated lateral side of said shell such that said strap overlays a portion of a back of said shell proximate and parallel to a bottom of said shell; and wherein said strap is positioned on said shell such that said strap is configured for insertion of two or more fingers of a hand of a user between said strap and said shell, such that the handheld electronic device positioned in said shell is stabilized in the hand of the user with a thumb of the hand free to manipulate controls on a front face of the handheld electronic device.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, further including said strap comprising elastic.
 3. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: said strap measuring from four to twelve centimeters between said opposing ends; and said strap measuring from three to eight centimeters between opposing edges of said strap.
 4. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: said strap measuring from five to eight centimeters between said opposing ends; and said strap measuring from four to six centimeters between said opposing edges of said strap.
 5. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: said strap measuring 6.35 centimeters between said opposing ends; and said strap measuring 5.08 centimeters between said opposing edges of said strap.
 6. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: each said opposing end of said strap comprising a lock tube; a pair of slots positioned in said back of said shell, each said slot being positioned proximate to a respective said opposing side of said shell, each said slot being configured to couple to a respective said lock tube; and wherein each said slot is positioned in said back such that said slot is positioned for insertion of a respective said opposing end of said strap to couple said strap to said shell.
 7. The assembly of claim 6, further including said lock tube being circularly shaped when viewed longitudinally.
 8. The assembly of claim 6, further including each said slot comprising: a first section extending perpendicularly into said back; a second section extending from said first section toward said respective said opposing side of said shell defining a corner of said slot; a channel extending from said second section distal from said corner, said channel being complementary to said lock tube; and wherein each said slot is positioned in said back such that said slot is positioned for insertion of a respective said opposing end of said strap, wherein said channel is positioned to couple to said lock tube to coupled said strap to said shell.
 9. The assembly of claim 1, further including a pair of fasteners coupled singly to each said opposing end of said strap, wherein said fasteners are positioned on said strap such that each said fastener is positioned to couple to said respective said opposing elongated lateral side of said shell to couple said strap to said shell.
 10. The assembly of claim 9, further including each said fastener comprising a strip coupled to and extending from a respective opposing end, said strip extending between opposing edges of said strap, said strip having a first face, said first face comprising adhesive.
 11. The assembly of claim 10, further including a pair of covers, each said cover being reversibly couplable to said first face of said strip, wherein said covers are positioned on said first faces of said strips such that said covers are configured to prevent premature adhesion of said first face, wherein said covers are configured for removal by the user such that said first faces of said strips are configured for adhesive coupling to said opposing elongated lateral sides of said shell to couple said strap to said shell.
 12. A protection and stabilization assembly comprising: a shell defining an interior space complementary to a handheld electronic device, said shell having a front, said front being open, wherein said front is configured such that the handheld electronic device is insertable into said interior space; a strap having opposing ends, said strap being resilient, each said opposing end of said strap being coupled to said shell proximate to a respective opposing elongated lateral side of said shell such that said strap overlays a portion of a back of said shell proximate and parallel to a bottom of said shell, said strap comprising elastic, said strap measuring from five to eight centimeters between said opposing ends, each said opposing end of said strap comprising a lock tube, said lock tube being circularly shaped when viewed longitudinally; a pair of slots positioned in said back of said shell, each said slot being positioned proximate to a respective said opposing elongated lateral side of said shell, each said slot being configured to couple to a respective said lock tube, wherein each said slot is positioned in said back such that said slot is positioned for insertion of a respective said opposing end of said strap to couple said strap to said shell, each said slot comprising: a first section extending perpendicularly into said back, a second section extending from said first section toward said respective said opposing side of said shell defining a corner of said slot, a channel extending from said second section distal from said corner, said channel being complementary to said lock tube, and wherein each said slot is positioned in said back such that said slot is positioned for insertion of a respective said opposing end of said strap, wherein said channel is positioned to couple to said lock tube to coupled said strap to said shell; and wherein said strap is positioned on said shell such that said strap is configured for insertion of two or more fingers of a hand of a user between said strap and said shell such that the handheld electronic device positioned in said shell is stabilized in the hand of the user with a thumb of the hand free to extend over said bottom of said shell to manipulate controls on a front face of the handheld electronic device.
 13. A protection and stabilization assembly comprising: a shell defining an interior space complementary to a handheld electronic device, said shell having a front, said front being open, wherein said front is configured such that the handheld electronic device is insertable into said interior space; a strap having opposing ends, said strap being resilient, each said opposing end of said strap being coupled to said shell on a respective opposing elongated lateral side of said shell such that said strap overlays a portion of a back of said shell proximate and parallel to a bottom of said shell, said strap comprising elastic, said strap measuring from five to eight centimeters between said opposing ends, said strap being positioned on said shell such that said strap is configured for insertion of two or more fingers of a hand of a user between said strap and said shell such that the handheld electronic device positioned in said shell is stabilized in the hand of the user with a thumb of the hand free to extend over said bottom of said shell to manipulate controls on a front face of the handheld electronic device; a pair of fasteners coupled singly to each said opposing end of said strap, wherein said fasteners are positioned on said strap such that each said fastener is positioned to couple to said respective said opposing side of said shell to couple said strap to said shell, each said fastener comprising a strip coupled to and extending from a respective opposing end, said strip extending between opposing edges of said strap, said strip having a first face, said first face comprising adhesive; a pair of covers, each said cover being reversibly couplable to said first face of said strip, wherein said covers are positioned on said first faces of said strips such that said covers are configured to prevent premature adhesion of said first face; and wherein said covers are configured for removal by the user such that said first faces of said strips are configured for adhesive coupling to said opposing sides of said shell to couple said strap to said shell. 